Embraer, Brazilian multinational plane maker recently deepened capacity building in Nigeria with mentorship events to prepare aspiring and young aviators for the future.
The event which was a fireside chat with African aviators themed ‘Mentoring Through Compelling Narratives,’ brought together captains, pilots, crew members and aviation professionals amongst others who have excelled in the sector to share their success stories as a way to motivate young aspiring aviators.
Speaking at the event, Callistus Ifeanyi, a captain with Air Peace, currently flying the Embraer 195-E2 said Embraer is doing its best to break into the African market. He said he is testimony because he flies the Embraer E195E2, which is the latest version of aircraft manufactured by Embraer. “I can say that that aircraft is a state-of-the-art aircraft. I initially was flying the Boeing 737 before I transitioned to the Embraer E195E2. Having a feel of that aircraft is an amazing story and I wouldn’t like to get out of it,” Ifeanyi said.
Ifeanyi who was also one of the speakers at the mentorship event said Embraer is doing a great job in Africa and I would appreciate it if other aircraft manufacturers can do the same.
“When others come in, it will also create an avenue for more jobs and inspire the younger ones. If they can come into Nigeria, which is the most populous nation in Africa, and possibly set up their plant or maintenance facilities, that would also help create awareness and empower the younger generations,” he said. Speaking on sponsorship, he said while not everyone can become a pilot as some can’t afford it, he encouraged those aspiring to start with other aviation careers and gradually climb up the ladder.
“It would be great if companies are able to come in and put up sponsorship programs for the younger ones. Flying is not a career that everybody can just pitch in. But there are still some cheap ones that people can also venture into, cabin crew, flight dispatch and all that. “Some people can afford other related aviation careers and they go into it and from there they keep on climbing the ladder. So it would be a nice thing if Africa, Nigeria, would get more sponsorship to bring up these younger generations that will fill the gap. Because what we are experiencing now is that the older generations are retiring and the gap is not being filled up,” Ifeanyi explained.
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He mentioned that while he trained as a pilot, there were sponsorships from governments and other organisations but now, those sponsorships are not really coming.
“So we encourage other parastatal organizations to be able to come in and raise up some sponsorship programs that will motivate the younger ones for them to grow in this industry,” he added. Also speaking at the event, Ibironke Rotimi-Olajide, a female captain flying the Embraer 195-E2 who is also the first female pilot and captain in Africa to fly the aircraft said there is a societal norm that the aviation industry is a male-dominated field.
Rotimi-Olajide said while globally, the percentage of female pilots to the male pilots is quite low, however the industry is trying to ensure gender inclusion in this regard and encourage more female pilots to join the industry. Speaking on balancing work-life and home-life, she said, “I’ve been flying for over a decade. I’m married and I have two children. So I’ll be able to give you the story of managing the home and work at the same time.
“Well, it’s been an interesting journey so far and talking about maternity leave, putting to bed and all that. Well, there are challenges there too because once a female pilot notices that she’s pregnant, she has to stay off until after the 13th week, which is the first trimester.
“And then if she feels comfortable, she can get back to flying by the 26th week. That’s about close to seven months. For me, I couldn’t do that because I wasn’t feeling too good to get back.
“So I was off work for both of my children for almost close to a year; so, cumulatively for almost two years. But still I was able to grow through the ranks and get to the ultimate, which is becoming a captain
“That’s the ultimate goal. So I’ve been able to balance home and work. Another thing is having a supportive spouse. My husband has been very supportive. He’s also in the industry, so he understands the dynamics of the industry,” Rotimi-Olajide explained.
Chidozie Uzoezie, the organiser of the event and the founder of the African Aviation Group, noted that Africa lacks mentorship programs for aspiring aviators. He also advised aspiring pilots to embrace the idea of starting their aviation journey small and gradually build financial capacity.
“A major takeaway from today’s event is that African youths, especially aspiring aviators, are genuinely hungry for meaningful inspiration and mentorship.
“However, these are often elusive due to the absence of developmental programs and grass-root initiatives that encourage capacity building. The participants would go home today with a renewed sense of pride and fulfilment in starting small. It’s an established fact that flight schools are very expensive, and therefore, outside the reach of many.
“So, oftentimes, aspiring pilots sit at home for far too long hoping to raise funds for flight training, wasting valuable time. Starting small has proved to be a crucial step towards achieving bigger dreams. We’ve seen pilots who started their aviation journeys as aircraft cleaners, ramp operators, bus drivers etc.”
Speaking on the successes of the event and how to sustain the program, Uzoezie said that there are plans underway to attract more sponsorship and ensure the long-term sustainability of the event.
Uzoezie also thanked Embraer for their support and goodwill. “I would like to use this opportunity to sincerely thank Embraer for believing in me and demonstrating leadership in sponsoring this event. With this singular act, they have invested in the future of aviation in Africa and in raising the next generation of African aviators. It is our hope that other OEMs will emulate them and join forces in building technical capacity across Africa. “
